JP5743811B2 - Power converter - Google Patents

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a power conversion apparatus.

  What is used in the power converter is a converter circuit that converts alternating current into direct current or an inverter circuit that converts direct current into alternating current. For these circuits, for example, semiconductor elements such as IGBTs are used. However, since a semiconductor element generally generates a loss and generates heat at the time of switching for AC and DC current conversion, a cooler is attached to suppress a temperature rise of the power converter. Moreover, the wiring for connecting the semiconductor element to the terminal block or the surrounding electric parts uses electric wires or conductors. When three semiconductor elements are used for each phase, many are arranged in three stages, ie, an upper stage, a middle stage, and a lower stage (see Patent Document 1 below).

JP 2000-295864 A

  However, in the said patent document 1, correspondence is not made about the following points.

  That is, when the semiconductor elements are arranged in three stages as in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, the temperature of the upper semiconductor element tends to increase due to the heat generated from the lower semiconductor element with respect to the cooling of the semiconductor element. It is in. For this reason, when the semiconductor elements are arranged in three stages, a larger cooler is installed to cool the upper semiconductor element to the operating temperature range.

  Further, when the cooler is increased, the conductors constituting the circuit are increased and the inductance is increased. Therefore, the size of the cooler is increased depending on the arrangement of the semiconductor elements, and further, a circuit for protecting the semiconductor elements is added due to an increase in the conductor inductance, resulting in a further increase in cost and an increase in the size of the power converter. Become.

  Furthermore, when the power conversion device is used for a railway vehicle or the like, it may be required to be compact because a floor needs to be lowered depending on the route into which the railway vehicle is introduced. In addition, foreign railway vehicles and the like may have a lower floor than Japanese railway vehicles and the like, and in this case, there is a further demand for more compact power conversion devices.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a compact and excellent space efficiency power conversion device by devising the arrangement of components such as semiconductor elements. It is.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the power conversion device, the first to third semiconductor element unit groups corresponding to each of the three phases of the power conversion device, and the first to third semiconductor element unit groups. A semiconductor element unit constituting three phases, comprising three semiconductor element units constituting each, a plurality of conductors connecting the three semiconductor element units, and a power supply line for supplying power to the three semiconductor element units Are arranged in two stages on the cooler, and each of the three semiconductor element units constituting each of the first semiconductor element unit group and the third semiconductor element unit group has one semiconductor element unit in one stage. The other two semiconductor element units are connected to the other stage from the center of one semiconductor element unit of the one stage to the two semiconductor element units of the other stage. Tsu to the center of the door is arranged so as to be equidistant,
Further, the second semiconductor element unit group is disposed between the first semiconductor element unit group and the third semiconductor element unit group, and three semiconductors constituting the second semiconductor element unit group In the element unit, one semiconductor element unit is placed on the other stage, and the other two semiconductor element units are placed on the one stage. From the center of one semiconductor element unit on the other stage, It is characterized by being arranged so as to be equidistant to the center of one semiconductor element unit .

It is a front view which shows the whole structure of the power converter device in 1st Embodiment. It is a front view which shows the modification 1 of the power converter device in 1st Embodiment. It is a front view which shows the modification 2 of the power converter device in 1st Embodiment. It is a front view which shows the whole structure of the power converter device in 2nd Embodiment. It is a front view which shows the whole structure of the power converter device in 3rd Embodiment. It is a front view which shows the whole structure of the power converter device in 4th Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a front view showing an overall configuration of a power conversion device S1 according to the first embodiment. The power conversion device S1 constitutes one phase with a set of three, a semiconductor element 1 that constitutes a total of three phases, and a conductor 2 that electrically connects a plurality of semiconductor elements 1 among the semiconductor elements 1, And a gate line 3 for supplying power to the semiconductor element 1.

  The power conversion device S1 is, for example, a converter circuit that converts alternating current into direct current or an inverter circuit that converts direct current into alternating current. Moreover, the semiconductor element 1 used for these circuits is elements, such as IGBT and SiC, for example.

  The semiconductor element 1 constitutes one phase by a set of three. In FIG. 1, three semiconductor elements 1 surrounded by a triangle (substantially regular triangle) indicated by a broken line form one set. In all the drawings, the U phase, the V phase, and the W phase are shown from the left, and are indicated by the symbols U, V, and W in the drawings, respectively.

  The semiconductor elements 1 in the embodiment of the present invention are arranged in two upper and lower stages. In FIG. 1 (hereinafter, all drawings), a front view of a power conversion device S (hereinafter, the power conversion devices in the embodiments are collectively referred to as “power conversion device S”) is shown. Therefore, although the code | symbol H shown in FIG. 1 and this has shown the height of power converter device S1, the direction which this arrow shows turns into a top-and-bottom direction. Accordingly, in FIG. 1, four semiconductor elements 1 are arranged in the upper stage, and five semiconductor elements 1 are arranged in the lower stage.

  The semiconductor element 1 that is arranged in two upper and lower stages and constitutes one phase has a position where the center of one semiconductor element 1 arranged on one stage is equidistant from the center of two semiconductor elements arranged on the other stage. Placed in. That is, for example, when the U phase is described as an example, one semiconductor element 1 is provided in one stage (upper stage), two semiconductor elements 1 are provided in the other stage (lower stage), and three semiconductor elements 1 in total. One phase (U phase) is configured. In these three semiconductor elements 1, the center of one semiconductor element 1 arranged in the upper stage is located at a position that is equidistant from the centers of the two semiconductor elements 1 arranged in the lower stage. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the three semiconductor elements 1 are arranged as if they are stacked in a pyramid shape.

  In the power conversion device S1 shown in FIG. 1, the two phases of the U phase and the W phase are in the same direction, that is, two semiconductor elements 1 are arranged in the lower stage and one semiconductor element 1 is arranged in the upper stage. On the other hand, for the V phase, the number of semiconductor elements 1 arranged in the upper and lower stages is different from those two phases. In the case of the V phase, one semiconductor element 1 is arranged in the lower stage and two semiconductor elements 1 are arranged in the upper stage.

Note that, in both the V phase and the W phase, the three semiconductor elements 1 are arranged in a pyramid shape as in the U phase. Therefore, the broken-line triangles indicating the respective phases in FIG. 1 are substantially equilateral triangles. However, the broken-line triangle indicating each phase is not limited to a substantially regular triangle, but may be any triangle shape such as a right triangle. Further, as described above, since the semiconductor element 1 is arranged so that the U phase and the W phase are in the same direction and only the V phase is in the opposite direction, when viewed as the entire power conversion device S1, one row is arranged in the upper stage. Thus, four semiconductor elements 1 are arranged, and in the lower stage, five semiconductor elements 1 are arranged in one row.

  Of the three semiconductor elements 1 constituting each phase, a conductor 2 is provided to electrically connect the two semiconductor elements 1 to each other. For example, a copper (Cu) plate having good conductivity is used for the conductor 2. In the power conversion device S1 shown in FIG. 1, two types of shapes of the conductor 2 are shown.

  That is to say, taking the U phase as an example, the shape of the conductor 2 that connects the lower one semiconductor element 1 and the upper semiconductor element 1 is a triangle (conductor 2a). The shape of the conductor 2 connecting the other semiconductor element 1 in the other lower stage and the upper semiconductor element 1 is a quadrangle, and two rectangular conductors 2b and 2b having different lengths are used. Which shape is adopted is determined in consideration of the relationship with the semiconductor element 1 to be connected, the shape of peripheral electrical components (not shown) arranged in the periphery, and the like.

  The power converter S is provided with a gate line 3 for supplying power to the semiconductor element 1. All of power conversion devices S1, S2, and S3 taken up in the first embodiment are above the semiconductor element 1 arranged at the upper stage and below the semiconductor element 1 arranged at the lower stage. Are provided with gate lines 3a and 3b, respectively. Moreover, in order to collect the electric wire used for each gate line 3a, 3b, the electric wire support 4 is provided suitably. The electric wire support 4 is provided at a position shown in the drawing, but can be provided at an arbitrary place in consideration of arrangement and handling of the electric wire.

  A cooler 5 for cooling the semiconductor element 1 is provided on the back surface of the semiconductor element 1. Since the semiconductor element 1 generates heat during the switching, the temperature rise of the semiconductor element 1 is mitigated by attaching the cooler 5 to the power conversion device S in the embodiment of the present invention.

  When the semiconductor elements 1 are arranged in a plurality of stages, the temperature of the semiconductor elements 1 arranged in the upper stage tends to increase due to heat generated from the semiconductor elements 1 arranged in the lower part. Therefore, in the cooler 5 in the embodiment of the present invention, in order to more efficiently cool the semiconductor element 1 arranged in the upper stage, the semiconductor element 1 arranged in the upper stage and the gate line 3a on the upper part are arranged. It arrange | positions so that it may reach to the provided position. On the other hand, the gate line 3 b is provided in the same manner below the semiconductor element 1 arranged in the lower stage, but this gate line 3 b is not included in the installation range of the cooler 5.

  As described above with reference to FIG. 1, a power converter that is compact and excellent in space efficiency can be provided by devising the arrangement of components such as semiconductor elements. That is, it is possible to keep the height in the vertical direction low by placing the semiconductor elements in the upper and lower two stages rather than stacking three semiconductor elements in the vertical direction to constitute a three-stage power conversion device.

  Also, by arranging three semiconductor elements in two stages, the size of the cooler can be made more compact than before. In addition, since the U phase, V phase, and W phase can be efficiently arranged as shown in FIG. 1, it is possible to reduce the conductor inductance and omit the surge voltage suppression circuit and the like.

  For example, the compactness of the power conversion device not only increases the space efficiency for the device in which the power conversion device is incorporated, but also contributes to the overall compactness, and further improves the manufacturability and handling performance during transportation. There is also an effect of improvement.

Here, FIG. 2 is a front view showing a first modification of the power conversion device S1 in the first embodiment. The power converter S2 of FIG. 2 is different from the power converter S1 shown in FIG. 1 in that the three phases of the U phase, the V phase, and the W phase are arranged in the same direction. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, one semiconductor element 1 is arranged in the upper stage, and two semiconductor elements 1 are arranged in the lower stage to constitute one phase. Accordingly, in total, three semiconductor elements 1 are arranged in the upper stage and six semiconductor elements 1 are arranged in the lower stage.

  In the first modification, the arrangement of the V phase is particularly different from the V phase in the power conversion device S1 shown in FIG. There is also a method of arranging each of the three phases as in the power conversion device S1 of FIG. 1, but this arrangement method may increase the design effort.

  On the other hand, each of the three phases in the power conversion device S2 shown in the modified example 1 is installed in a state in which it faces the same direction. With such an orientation, it is possible to greatly reduce the design effort for installation including wiring and the like.

  FIG. 3 is a front view showing a second modification of the power conversion device S1 according to the first embodiment. In the power conversion device S3 of Modification Example 2, the shape of the conductor 2 that connects the semiconductor elements 1 to each other is a triangle, and both the conductors 2a and 2a 'are members of the same shape. That is, the conductor 2a ′ is a point that shows a member having the same shape as the triangular conductor 2a that connects the lower one semiconductor element 1 and the upper semiconductor element 1 at an equal distance from the center of the two lower semiconductor elements 1. The lower semiconductor element 1 and the upper semiconductor element 1 are connected to each other by inverting and arranging with a virtual straight line formed by connecting the two.

  Thus, by making the conductors 2 required in each phase the same shape, the number of parts can be reduced and the efficiency of the mounting work can be improved.

  In the above description, a triangle, a combination of two rectangles, and a combination of two triangles have been described as the shape of the conductor 2 that connects the three semiconductor elements 1 of one phase using FIG. 1 and FIG. A plurality of semiconductor elements 1 may be connected by using conductors 2 of other combinations, for example, one triangle, one quadrangle combination, or two quadrangle combinations. Further, the shape of the conductor 2 is not limited to a triangle and a rectangle, but may be any other shape as long as necessary electrical connection between the semiconductor elements 1 can be secured.

  In addition, in any of the first modification and the second modification, it is needless to say that each effect in the above-described embodiment of the present invention is achieved.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment will be described. In the second embodiment, the same components as those described in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description of the same components is omitted because it is duplicated.

  The power conversion device S4 in the second embodiment is different from the power conversion devices S1 to S3 in the first embodiment in the layout of the semiconductor elements 1 arranged in two upper and lower stages. In addition, about another structure, it is the same as that of power converter device S1 thru | or S3 in 1st Embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing an overall configuration of the power conversion device S4 according to the second embodiment. The semiconductor element 1 in the second embodiment is arranged in two upper and lower stages, and the semiconductor element constituting one phase is the first arranged in the center of one semiconductor element arranged in one stage and the other stage. A straight line connecting the center of the first semiconductor element and a straight line connecting the center of the first semiconductor element and the center of the second semiconductor element arranged in the same other stage as the first semiconductor element. They are arranged at positions orthogonal to each other at the center of the semiconductor element.

  That is, the U phase shown in FIG. 4 will be described as an example. In the U phase, two semiconductor elements 1 of the first semiconductor element 1a and the second semiconductor element 1b are arranged in the lower stage. On the other hand, one semiconductor element 1c is arranged on the upper stage. Considering the first semiconductor element 1a as a reference, the center of the first semiconductor element 1a can be connected to the center of the semiconductor element 1c arranged in the upper stage by a (vertical) straight line (see the hypothesis shown in FIG. 4). (See line L1). Further, the center of the first semiconductor element 1a can be connected to the center of the semiconductor element 1b arranged in the same lower stage by a (horizontal) straight line (see a virtual line L2 shown in FIG. 4). Moreover, the imaginary line L1 and the imaginary line L2 are in a relationship orthogonal to each other with the center of the first semiconductor element 1a as an intersection.

  When the semiconductor element 1 is arranged in this manner, the three semiconductor elements 1 constituting the U phase can be surrounded by a right triangle as shown by a broken line in FIG. In the second embodiment, by arranging the semiconductor element 1 constituting each of the three phases in this way, the arrangement of the constituent elements such as the semiconductor element is devised, thereby being compact and excellent in space efficiency. A power converter can be provided.

  Note that the V phase shown in FIG. 4 is arranged so that the U phase and the W phase are in opposite directions. However, not only such an arrangement, but also the semiconductor element 1 can of course be arranged so that, for example, all three phases are in the same direction.

  Moreover, the conductor 2 in 2nd Embodiment is only a square, the combination of a square and a triangle, or only a triangle, and three patterns are shown by FIG. However, the use of a plurality of conductors having the same shape contributes to the reduction of the number of parts, but on the other hand, as described above, any shape of conductor may be used.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a third embodiment will be described. In the third embodiment, the same components as those described in the first or second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description of the same components is duplicated. I will omit it.

  The power converter S5 in the third embodiment is different from the power converters S1 to S4 in the first or second embodiment so far in the arrangement of the gate line 3 '. Other configurations are as described above.

  Until now, the semiconductor device 1 has been arranged at the upper part (gate line 3a) of the semiconductor element 1 arranged at the upper stage and the lower part (gate line 3b) of the semiconductor element 1 arranged at the lower stage (see FIGS. 1 to 4). ). In the third embodiment, the gate lines 3a and 3b separately provided in the upper stage and the lower stage are combined into one gate line 3 ', and the gate line 3' is arranged in the upper stage. It is supposed to be provided between the element 1 and the semiconductor element 1 arranged in the lower stage.

  FIG. 5 is a front view showing the overall configuration of the power conversion device S5 according to the third embodiment. The gate line 3 ′ is provided between the upper semiconductor element 1 and the lower semiconductor element 1, and power is supplied to each semiconductor element 1 therefrom. By providing the gate line 3 ′ at this position, it is not necessary to provide the gate line 3 above the semiconductor element 1 arranged at the upper stage or below the semiconductor element 1 arranged at the lower stage. Therefore, the size (height) of the power conversion device S5 in the vertical direction can be further reduced.

FIG. 5 shows an arrow indicating the height. Here, the height indicated by the symbol H indicates the height of the power conversion devices S1 to S4 in the first or second embodiment.
On the other hand, the height indicated by the symbol h indicates the height of the power conversion device S5 in the third embodiment. Therefore, the power conversion device S5 can be configured to be lower than the power conversion devices S1 to S4 in the first or second embodiment by a height corresponding to the reference symbol h ′, thereby further reducing the size. be able to.

  In addition to devising the arrangement of semiconductor elements as in the past, by devising the arrangement of constituent devices such as gate lines, it is possible to provide a compact and highly efficient power conversion device.

(Fourth embodiment)
Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. In the fourth embodiment, the same components as those described in the first to third embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description of the same components is duplicated. Omitted.

  The fourth embodiment is different from the power conversion devices S1 to S5 described so far in that a new member is added to the power conversion device. Other configurations are the same as before.

  FIG. 6 is a front view showing the overall configuration of the power conversion device according to the fourth embodiment. In the power conversion device S6 according to the fourth embodiment, a guard G is provided between the semiconductor element 1 arranged in the upper stage and the semiconductor element 1 arranged in the lower stage.

  Here, it is conceivable that a phenomenon occurs in which the semiconductor element 1 is destroyed for some reason during the operation of the power conversion device S6. When such a phenomenon occurs, there is a high possibility that the broken pieces of the semiconductor element 1 are scattered around. The scattered pieces may damage peripheral components such as the surrounding semiconductor element 1, and thus may be destroyed by the scattered pieces although they are not destroyed. In particular, if the configuration in which the semiconductor elements 1 are arranged densely for the purpose of compactness is employed as in the power conversion device S in the embodiment, the damage becomes more serious.

  Therefore, a guard G is provided in the power conversion device S6 in the fourth embodiment. The guard G is made of, for example, a flat plate, and the depth thereof is determined in accordance with the size of the semiconductor element 1, for example. In addition, since the conductor 2 connects the plurality of semiconductor elements 1 from above the guard G, the conductor 2 is not touched. By providing the guard G, it is possible to prevent the broken pieces of the semiconductor element 1 from being scattered to other semiconductor elements 1, so that secondary destruction caused by the scattered pieces and short circuit due to the broken pieces can be prevented. it can. In that sense, it can be said that the guard G is a guard for preventing a short circuit together.

  As described above, by devising the arrangement of components such as semiconductor elements, it is possible to provide a power conversion device that is not only compact and excellent in space efficiency but also can cope with a failure that may occur during operation.

  In the fourth embodiment, the guard G is arranged between the upper semiconductor element 1 and the lower semiconductor element 1 so as to separate them, but in addition, between the semiconductor elements 1 in the same row arranged in each stage. It is also possible to arrange the guard G.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. Various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the above embodiments. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, you may combine the component covering different embodiment suitably.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Semiconductor element, 2 ... Conductor, 3 ... Gate line, 4 ... Electric wire support, 5 ... Cooler, S1-S6 ... Power converter.

Claims (4)

First to third semiconductor element unit groups corresponding to each of the three phases of the power conversion device;
  Three semiconductor element units constituting each of the first to third semiconductor element unit groups;
  A plurality of conductors connecting the three semiconductor element units;
  A power supply line for supplying power to the three semiconductor element units,
  The semiconductor element units constituting the three phases are arranged in two stages on the cooler,
  The three semiconductor element units constituting each of the first semiconductor element unit group and the third semiconductor element unit group include one semiconductor element unit in one stage, and the other two semiconductor element units. The other stage is arranged so that the distance from the center of one semiconductor element unit of the one stage to the center of the two semiconductor element units of the other stage is equal,
  Further, the second semiconductor element unit group is disposed between the first semiconductor element unit group and the third semiconductor element unit group, and three semiconductors constituting the second semiconductor element unit group In the element unit, one semiconductor element unit is placed on the other stage, and the other two semiconductor element units are placed on the one stage. From the center of one semiconductor element unit on the other stage, A power conversion device, wherein the semiconductor device units are arranged so as to be equidistant from the center of one semiconductor element unit. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein SiC is used for the semiconductor element unit. The power converter according to claim 1, wherein the conductor is a triangle. The guard member for preventing a short circuit is arrange | positioned between the semiconductor element unit arrange | positioned at said one stage, and the semiconductor element unit arrange | positioned at said other stage, The Claim 1 thru | or 3 characterized by the above-mentioned. The power converter device as described in any one of these.

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